Recent Commentaries

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The Dilemma
Here is an ethical quandary submitted by a friend. “You’re playing in the club championship finals and the match is halved at the end of 17 holes. You have the honor and hit your ball a modest two hundred fifty yards down the middle of the fairway, leaving a simple six iron to the pin. “Your opponent then hits his...
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March 21, 2012
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Grace in the Golden State
Wade Clark Roof is the J.F. Rowny Professor of Religion and Society and Director of The Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion, and Public Life at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Author or co-author of 14 books and over 100 articles, Clark’s mission through the Center is “to advance conversation on major public issues, ethics and...
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March 19, 2012
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Root Rot
Global Investment banking giant Goldman Sachs lost $2.15billion of its market value the day after London-based employee Gregory Smith told the world in a New York Times Op-Ed that the company is not only “toxic and destructive,” but is only interested in “How much money did we make off the client?” In 2009 Rolling Stone story, reporter Matt Taibbi called Goldman...
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March 16, 2012
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You and Me (But Mostly Me)
“It’s a story of when cynicism and idealism collide, when you have to do the things that are necessary to win to try to get in office to do the great things you want to do for the country.” That was McCain/Palin campaign honcho Steve Schmidt commenting to Joe Scarborough on Morning Joe about his time spent with Sarah Palin. (It also...
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March 14, 2012
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Let’s Be Honest – Good Guys Edition
Share this… Facebook Pinterest Twitter Linkedin  » Read more about: Let’s Be Honest – Good Guys Edition  »...
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March 14, 2012
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Character – You Respond
The level of thoughtful comments I received regarding my character question was impressive. On March 2, I asked, What does it mean to you to have strong moral character? Amanda from North Carolina wrote, “My thoughts on morality and ethics continue to evolve as my understanding of the historical concept of morality develops. Do I care about a president’s sexual affairs? No....
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March 12, 2012
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The Other Rush
I was saddened to learn of the passing of Rushworth Kidder, founder and president of The Institute for Global Ethics, whose stated mission is “To promote ethical behavior in individuals, and cultures of integrity in institutions and nations through research, public discourse, and practical action.” I first became acquainted with Rush through his book, How Good People Make Tough Choices. “At a...
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March 9, 2012
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The But…
Anytime anyone makes a statement followed by “But,” you can throw all sincerity from the preceding statement out the window! After Rush Limbaugh apologized to Sandra Fluke for using “inappropriate words” to describe her, it didn’t take long for El Rushbo to fall back on the “B” word: “But all of the other leftists that call me and other conservatives...
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March 7, 2012
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The New Face of Contraception
There have been so many voices involved on the issue of birth control that it’s hard to separate truth from friction, but I’ll try. To begin with, the mandate to have religious-based employers provide coverage for employees as part of their health plans has its roots in what most people refer to as “Obamacare.” The legislation is actually called The Patient...
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March 5, 2012
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The Character Question
“A good moral character is the first essential in a man.”  – George Washington After the Florida debate in January, Republican candidate Newt Gingrich called rival Mitt Romney “fundamentally dishonest.” The former House Speaker expanded his comments with conservative commentator Sean Hannity about Romney’s tenure at Boston-based venture capital group Bain Capital. Gingrich said, “We’re talking about the character, the...
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March 2, 2012

Read Some of the Most Recent Articles
The Latest... And Often Greatest
Who Watches the Algorithm?
We are building machines that may soon judge, persuade, police, diagnose, hire, fire, and even help governments decide whom to trust. Yet we still have...
He Just Does His Job
I’ve been listening to and watching Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia for more than a year now: his speeches, his questions in Senate hearings,...
Why Donald Trump Has Pulled Me Back In—Again
Last August, I wrote that I was “stepping back from the chaos” of Donald Trump. I meant to write about his presidency only when his...
Scott Pelley Responds
During a contentious staff meeting at 60 Minutes, Scott Pelley spoke out sharply, criticizing the judgment and decision-making of CBS News editor in chief Bari...
The Clock is Still Ticking. But Now It’s Ticking for CBS
I began watching 60 Minutes when it premiered on September 24, 1968, when Harry Reasoner and Mike Wallace introduced a new kind of television journalism:...
God Has Chosen Donald Trump
At a Trump-backed Christian prayer rally on the National Mall in Washington on May 17, officially called Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise...